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Cloris Cheng, a computer science (CS) student at Caltech graduating this spring, has been granted a fellowship by the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation. Hertz Fellows are awarded five years of funding for postgraduate studies. Cheng is among 19 students chosen from over 1,000 applicants this year.
Incoming graduate student Edward Chen, set to graduate this spring from the United States Military Academy at West Point, is also part of the new group of Hertz Fellows.
Cheng was raised in Xiamen, China, and attended a boarding school in Santa Barbara, California, before coming to Caltech. “My boarding school emphasized liberal arts, and I found it easier to excel in math and physics,” Cheng explains. “All the instructors were immensely encouraging of my enthusiasm for STEM subjects and motivated me throughout my journey, and I suppose you naturally become fond of what you’re proficient in.”
“I entered Caltech intending to major in pure mathematics,” Cheng states, “but I enrolled in abstract algebra during the same term as a machine learning course, and I chose to shift my focus to machine learning. Mathematicians often seek challenging problems. I truly respect those who can persevere for long periods to prove a theorem. However, in computer science, particularly in today’s machine learning era, individuals are more inclined to seek solvable problems that can generate a greater impact.”
Throughout her undergraduate studies, Cheng has engaged in computer science research initiatives that have a significant social impact. “One project I worked on involved utilizing algorithms to design antibodies. Another aimed at reconstructing molecular frameworks from nuclear magnetic resonance data,” says Cheng, who is currently interning at Gridmatic, a firm leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to promote sustainable energy. “We can’t predict exactly when the wind will blow or when it will be sunny, so there’s a considerable degree of uncertainty for energy grid managers or electricity providers,” Cheng clarifies. “The expectation is that with machine learning models, we can achieve more precise predictions that will enable transitioning the entire energy grid to renewable resources.”
“I lack sufficient words to convey how much I gained from my peers at Caltech, both emotionally and academically,” Cheng reflects. “My mentors, [Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences] Yisong Yue and [Carl F. Braun Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences] Adam Wierman, were exceptionally supportive. I began reaching out to them during my freshman year, and they both replied. I doubt you find that kind of attention at larger universities. I managed to participate in research during my freshman year at Caltech. I approached Professor Wierman to see if I could be involved in a CS project, and he was incredibly helpful. I’m sure my contributions as a freshman were minimal, but it was an invaluable learning opportunity.”
Cheng eagerly anticipates greater freedom in selecting her studies in graduate school with the assistance of the Hertz Fellowship.
Incoming chemical engineering graduate student Edward Chen, originally from Madison, Wisconsin, will graduate from West Point this month with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, graduating with honors and a minor in engineering management. At West Point, Chen—who leads 1,099 cadets as the command sergeant major of the 1st Regiment and competed on the Army water polo team—conducted research on the implementation of redox flow batteries for large-scale renewable energy storage, work that has taken him to Army bases across the US and to the Pentagon to explore energy resilience for national security.
The Hertz Foundation has been granting fellowships since 1963 and has since supported more than 1,300 fellows, many of whom have pursued distinguished careers in academia, industry, and government. John Hertz, a Hungarian immigrant who built his wealth in the automotive sector, established the scholarship fund as “a means to express my appreciation and affection for America,” according to the foundation’s website.
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